Female teachers traveling a long distance with a driver without a mahram

Question:
The questioner: Your Eminence the Shaykh, a group of female teachers travel together with a driver a distance of one hundred and twenty kilometers to teach at a school in another area. What is the ruling on that?

Answer:
The Shaykh: The default is that a mahram is obligatory; this is the default. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: This is the mahram. Some scholars grant a dispensation in this case because they are a group and the danger is remote. However, the apparent meaning of the Sunnah of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) is prohibition, based on his saying (peace and blessings be upon him): "A woman must not travel except with a ." Therefore, it is obligatory for those responsible for women to look into this. In every town, if possible, their teachers should be from that town so that they do not need to travel without a mahram. This matter should be addressed with all care, because it is a serious matter. It should be handled by the responsible authority.